How Drain Detailer Grew From a DIY Fix Into a Reusable Alternative to Wasteful, Single-Use Drain Cleaners

Sink clogs are a common problem for homeowners, but one that often doesn’t have an easy — or environmentally friendly — solution. Left unchecked, sink clogs can cause water to backup and even damage pipes.

But chemical drain cleaners can put harmful chemicals into the water supply. And barbed plastic drain cleaning tools are also wasteful, typically only good for a single use before disposal. Further compounding the problem, these solutions often aren’t as effective as they need to be to fully clean drains, failing to remove buildup and causing clogs to return after only a short period of time.

These were among the challenges that David Hazar, inventor and CEO of Drain Detailer, faced when he was looking for his own DIY fix. While looking for a solution to his own sink clog problems, Hazar was able to develop a reusable tool that not only proved more effective than existing drain cleaners but was also more environmentally friendly.

Prior to developing his own drain clog removal tool, Hazar liked using barbed drain cleaners to remove hair clogs from shower drains. But even then, he realized these cleaning tools were lacking.

“Those barbed drain tools are usually made from single-use plastic,” he notes. “Even with ones that have a sturdier design, the hair gets so tangled up in the barbs that it just isn’t worth the effort to try to clean them so they can be reused. Also, while they work well for showers, they don’t work nearly as well for sinks. Over time, I found that I was needing to clean my sink drains more and more frequently.”

Single-use plastics that get coated with hair and other gunk tend to go straight in the trash, with no effort at recycling. These disposable plastics can add up.

Chemical drain cleaners can also pose an environmental problem. “When you pour a chemical drain cleaner down your pipes, it creates an opportunity for harsh chemicals to enter waterways,” Hazar explains. “You also get waste from the plastic packaging. Those chemical cleaners can also be bad for you, as they release toxic fumes and are an eye and skin irritant. They can damage plumbing, and often, they’ll just move clogs deeper instead of fully removing them.”

The inadequacies of existing drain cleaners led Hazar to develop his own clog removal solution — one that was both more effective and better for the environment.

When sink clogs kept coming back after using barbed drain cleaners, Hazar decided to investigate further by removing his sink’s drain cover and P-trap and checking the pipe with his flashlight. What he found surprised him.

“The inside of the pipe was coated with thick buildup that dramatically reduced its circumference,” he explained. “There was no way the cleaners I was using would remove this buildup, which is why the clog kept coming back. That buildup would trap other debris and slow the water flow, leaving me with an ongoing drainage problem. This was when I realized I would need to come up with my own solution to get rid of the clog for good.”

From there, Hazar set to work developing a reusable tool that would scrape the insides of the pipe clean, fully removing all debris and buildup. Because his initial discovery of pipe buildup came after removing the P-trap and drain cover from his sink, he decided to use that as a starting point — pushing gunk into a bucket below the drain after removing the P-trap.

“It took about two years of personal experimentation and professional prototyping,” he explains.

“I went through a lot of trial and error to find something that would get rid of all the residue, but also not get stuck when it reached the bottom of the drain. What I finally settled on was a silicone brush head that could act like a squeegee in pushing everything out the drain, but could also be easily detached from the flexible plastic-covered fiberglass rod. This design also made it easier to clean the parts once everything was done, so the Drain Detailer could be used over and over again.”

Thanks to its reusable design, Drain Detailer helps reduce plastic waste (both from the tool itself and its packaging) in comparison to single-use tools and chemical cleaners. In addition, because the buildup is pushed into a bucket placed below the open drain hole, users don’t have to worry about sending chemicals or other harmful materials into the water supply. They only need to concern themselves with getting rid of the gunk that has been pushed out of the pipe.

Even as you try to limit water use to reduce your environmental impact, sink clogs will likely happen sooner or later. How you choose to clean your drains can have a big impact on both the effectiveness of your cleaning and its environmental impact.

As a reusable clog removal tool, the Drain Detailer stands out as a more environmentally friendly solution that can fix sink clogs throughout the house. Over time, users will save money and reduce their impact on the environment, while also keeping clogs away for a much longer period of time.